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Damaged PCI-E

B

Berti77

Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Messages
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Hi i bought a GPU with damaged PCI-E connectors.
The card is detected gives image no artifacts but sometimes the driver restart itself at load.
Could it be because of this? I think those are 12v lines.
How should i test them or fix them?
IMG_20220101_154631.jpg

IMG_20220101_154704.jpg
 
Yeah thats the power lanes from the PCIe slot. Not sure you can fix it honestly. Its a broken PCB.
 
Maybe one of those pens that lets you draw circuits? Not sure what its called..
 
its not the contacts itself that're missing tho, looks like one side of the pcb's totally chipped off there, like this

nothing much you can do besides rma
 

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Tape the long side, use very tiny amounts of super glue (cyanoacrylate) and then some baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to form the plastic, use a scalpel and mask off with tape to sand the new plastic and then the conductive pen to form the new traces.

Or solder some wires to the traces and make a connector to attach to the PSU
 
Selaya said:
its not the contacts itself that're missing tho, looks like one side of the pcb's totally chipped off there, like this

nothing much you can do besides rma
Click to expand...

Can't RMA that card. Someone has already made an attempt to bypass it as you can see solder on the contact.

Yes, you can repair it, but whoever tried to repair it put solder in the wrong place. It will need to be removed & place solder further up the connector. Currently where that solder is will damage any motherboard as the solder will push the internal pin in the PCI-e socket too far back. This may prevent any normal working card from working as you are consistently pushing the pin too far back which will end up with no contact or HR sometime in the future, depending on how many times the card is inserted into the same socket. Heat cycle can also render the pin staying where it is, sitting too far back & not returning back to it's normal position when the card is removed.
 
Selaya said:
its not the contacts itself that're missing tho, looks like one side of the pcb's totally chipped off there, like this

nothing much you can do besides rma
Click to expand...
This. I see the same.
 
Berti77 said:
Hi i bought a GPU with damaged PCI-E connectors.
The card is detected gives image no artifacts but sometimes the driver restart itself at load.
Could it be because of this? I think those are 12v lines.
How should i test them or fix them?
Click to expand...
It's possible to repair it, but you shouldn't have to. If it was not disclosed in the ad, send it back.
 
Steevo said:
Tape the long side, use very tiny amounts of super glue (cyanoacrylate) and then some baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to form the plastic, use a scalpel and mask off with tape to sand the new plastic and then the conductive pen to form the new traces.

Or solder some wires to the traces and make a connector to attach to the PSU
Click to expand...
Some good ideas here. However, the conductive ink ... I very much doubt its conductivity is anywhere close to copper. Has anyone tried to repair PCB tracks carrying high current, and succeeded? The ink would also need to have enough mechanical strength so it's not peeled or chipped off the first time the card is inserted into slot.
 
And? the pin lanes are still out there.
 
I would avoid plugging this card directly to any motherboard , buy a pci-e riser and jump-solder the broken pads from the gpu to the riser and use it that way , that connector is supposed to carry so much weight and mechanical friction I don’t see any way to restore normal function besides using a riser that will be attached to this gpu forever
 
Ferd said:
I would avoid plugging this card directly to any motherboard , buy a pci-e riser and jump-solder the broken pads from the gpu to the riser and use it that way , that connector is supposed to carry so much weight and mechanical friction I don’t see any way to restore normal function besides using a riser that will be attached to this gpu forever
Click to expand...
If you think that 2mm x 3mm piece that is missing will cause a noticeable stability issue, be realistic. It will be just as secure as any other gpu.
 
Blue4130 said:
If you think that 2mm x 3mm piece that is missing will cause a noticeable stability issue, be realistic. It will be just as secure as any other gpu.
Click to expand...
Higher resistance can occur
 
Blue4130 said:
When I say stability, I mean physical stability. The previous poster alluded that the card would physically fall out of the slot or damage it further somehow.
Click to expand...
Physically there is enough blade area from the big blade to hold in place but with the contact area being smaller there is a higher chance of electrical failure
 
I'd probably check first if the GPU works without the +12V from those first three fingers on each side at all. Technically there's a chance that only the PRSNT# signal is strictly needed, while the card can draw +12V from the PSU power pins alone. You can simulate it first by taping the first three fingers on each side and putting a jumper between the PRSNT1# pin to rearmost PRSNT2# pin on your motherboard socket (or if you want to play extra safe, buy a riser and do the cutting and jumpering on the riser)

I can't recommend using conductive ink at all. Those fingers are expected to carry ~1.2A current. Using conductive ink is almost a sure way to create a fire there. Not to mention the close proximity to the GND fingers, you risk frying your motherboard.
 
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He needs only the present first pin, the other are 12V that are doubled everywhere and you have to feed the fuse from further pins.

That place is responsible for detection. You have to use epoxy and grow up a tooth, then file it off as it was, then you solder on new thin pads, no direct solder.

If you don't have what it takes, then ask for a specialist.
 
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Blue4130 said:
When I say stability, I mean physical stability. The previous poster alluded that the card would physically fall out of the slot or damage it further somehow.
Click to expand...
Which gpu is it anyway ?
 
When the card is seated in the PCIE-slot then all the fingers should make contact just fine.
If you look closely you can see the area where the fingers make contact with the PCIE-slot.

But there is something wrong with the 4th finger on the second picture.
Is there something on that finger? then try to get it off.
 
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Thanks for all the replies.
Fortunately it was only a wrong vBIOS (memory manufacturer was incorrect).
It's working correctly under load now, so I think it makes contact.

BTW I bought it for ~100eur as "not working" so I couldn't return it. For that price i'm really happy with it.
 
Berti77 said:
Thanks for all the replies.
Fortunately it was only a wrong vBIOS (memory manufacturer was incorrect).
It's working correctly under load now, so I think it makes contact.

BTW I bought it for ~100eur as "not working" so I couldn't return it. For that price i'm really happy with it.
Click to expand...
Good, hope it last you till you can get a new shiny gpu
 
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